What Gear is Fair?

There have been a few flareups recently in OCR ranks both at the elite and open levels.  What gear is fair to use on the course?  Opinions very widely.  With no regulations, the only general agreement among all comments I have read is, "Pick up your #$@&* trash!"

My buddy Charles "Jazz" Vassallo, an elite Spartan racer, got reamed for drying off his hands before an obstacle.  He used a t-shirt he found on the ground.  Some athletes called foul.  That's unfair gear.  Use the grass or your shorts or wave your hands in the wind.  But using a t-shirt or a rag you find on the course is an unfair advantage.

I got reamed for replying to an issue this week when somebody asked for advice on rope burns caused by dragging the feet on the Tyrolean Traverse.  I suggested wearing soccer shin guards in reverse beneath compression socks.  Oh the names I was called.  The videos and writeups I got for showing proper technique.  There were a few who liked my idea but they were in the minority.

I wear them for two reasons:  First, after my first attempt on the ABF Mud Run 125-foot rope, my calves cramped so bad because of the cold water crossings just before the rope.  I do the underneath monkey crawl technique.  But that pressure on my heels and calves totally spazzed  my muscles.  So I had the brilliant idea to use the shin guards.  Problem solved.  I don't have the issue of burns because I knew better than to drag.  But honestly folks.  Some of the videos people sent me showed the "proper" technique as dragging the feet while doing all the work pulling with the arms.  Ouch.

The second reason I wear them is similar to the first.  Getting over the top of walls, especially towards the end of some races when I use the leg up technique, there is that compression again.  I have seen so many people cramp and fall off the wall when that happens.  Again, the shin guard totally prevents that from happening.

Are they an unfair advantage?  They certainly don't get in the way.  They are not a hindrance to me in any way.  I am an open class runner so I don't have to worry about the wrath of the elites.

This is an open question friends.  What are your thoughts?  What other gear do you see out there that is questionable?  I'd like to hear all sides.

I'd also like to see as many of you as possible on October 3 at ABF Mud Run where you can put your theories to the test.  ABF was voted one of the top ten small race venues in the country as well as one of the top 5 toughest obstacles by Outside magazine.